Chester Trail has been pastor of Greater St. James Church of God in Christ in Fremont since 1986. Here, he sits with photos and memorabilia from his days as a baseball player.

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It would not be fair to say becoming a professional baseball player was a dream too big for Chester Trail.

Chester knew becoming a pro was possible from a young age because he had seen other people do it. He grew up watching his father, Eddie, play first base in the Ohio-Indiana Negro League.

As a boy no older than 7, Chester always followed Eddie to the ballpark. He watched his father and the other Negro League ballplayers play baseball on a field of dirt and grass for hours on end - a memory Chester, 70, still holds with him today. ...